A Year of Jewels
by FamePaperTrail
Summary: Everyone has holes in their life. Kid's OCD, Blackstar's personal insights, Tsubaki's senstiveness, Maka's fears, Crona's damaged past, Liz's secrecy, Patti's distractions, Soul's unmotivation. Will they dwell on their weaknesses or past obstacles? Rated T for romance, death, drugs, cutting, alchohol. Some parts could be rated M for trauma.
1. Introduction

A Year of Jewels

_By Mia Salvano_

FamePaperTrail

Introduction

**A/N: Do you guys care that I keep writing a lot of angst? It's a bit ridiculous, I know. My first couple ones were very fluffy and light but my recent ones have been sort of dark. No, I'm not depressed or anything. It's just that the dark angst themes really drive a creative piece of me into writing. I can explain the angst emotions better.**

**I started thinking about this 12-chapter themed story a few weeks ago and I think it's about time I wrote it. Basically, here is the theme:**

**PLEASE READ BELOW! !**

**This story is 12 chapters long. (Will be.) Chapter One is called 'Garnet' because that is the birthstone for January. Chapter Two will be called 'Amethyst' for February. So on, so forth. In every chapter, (ex. Garnet) the character will undergo a problem that is related to the personalities according to the astronomical signs for that month. My notes I took says 'A Garnet typically is persistent, trustworthy, rigid, cold, has trouble overcoming obstacles, and works too much.'**

**Hopefully, I can get that down pact! **

**R&R! Please?**


	2. Chapter 1: Garnet

Chapter One: Garnet

Death the Kid

_Persistent, trustworthy, rigid, cold, has trouble overcoming obstacles, works too much._

He had always been persistent.

There were times when he broke.

He would collapse in a heap of burning emotions, spilling forth in the hot tears rolling down his pale face. They way he cried was silent, not a squeak or a sob coming from his mouth, just tears.

Just pain.

Just hurt.

He grew up by himself, a couple maids bustling throughout the manor but that was it. Lord Death had always been gone to tend to the academy, coming home late at night if he came home at all. Kid felt slightly abandoned in these cases, but his father insisted that he loved his son, would pat his little striped head and would leave him curled in the doorway.

_The doorway._

That…_thing._

It was the biggest memories in his childhood, watching his father walk out that threshold time and time again. He would spend hours sitting on the spun-gold rug, waiting all day for his dad to walk in and say 'Hello, Kiddo! What did you do when I was gone?" In his normal, bubbly fashion.

But some nights, he never did. Kid would sit there through the evening twilight flooding the foyer, ignoring the butler's calls for dinner. The thick, heavy glow of sunset bounced off the cream walls and left an orange glare on the peephole glass just in front of his face. He would stare, a blink only coming when his eyes dried up, never wanted to miss when Lord Death came bounding up the porch.

He would continue to sit when the sun dipped below the horizon and the stars began to peak out. Pale blue moonlight would fill the room, giving the peephole glass a cerulean hue. He would ignore the butler's calls for bed, watching through the street lamps for a black shadow and a skull mask.

And maybe he fell asleep some nights, because he woke up in his bed numerous mornings. Kid would run to the window and finally see Lord Death hopping on the cobblestone road to the manor's front door.

He wasn't like normal kids would squeal and yell "Daddy!" stumbling down the stairs to greet his dad with a running tackle hug. Instead, Kid would walk slowly down the stairs trudge right up to his father and would ask, "Where have you been?"

Lord Death would sigh, and then with a surprisingly cheer voice say, "Not too much Kiddo!"

"But you did something."

The air between the 6 year old boy and his father began to fasten like a tight leather buckle, Kid's eyelids never ceasing to blink. No one would breathe, no one would look away, they would just stare.

And then…

Kid would lunge to his father and wrap little, pale arms around him, squeezing with a death grip.

"Welcome home, dad."

And every time, a tear would slip from Lord Death's mask, the hurt of going so long without his son tore his heart out. Every time he leaves, Kid would just stare through the window, and then move to the peephole.

I guess that's why they call it window _pane._

Shinigami-sama was touched that his son, Death the Kid, was so persistent that he skipped meals and deprived himself of sleep just to wait for his dad to come home. It still cut him to bits.

And then came hours of questions when they would sit in the family room.

"Did you miss me?"

"Of course, Kiddo! I think about you all the time!"

"What do you do at the academy?"

Lord Death sighed. "Well, I do a lot at the DWMA! Mainly, I just watch over everyone and make sure behaviors are appropriate and everyone follows guidelines safely. I also work with the Death Scythes to keep track of Kishin souls captured and left to collect."

Kid stared at him with big golden ring eyes in deep interest, another sight that melted Lord Death's heart.

_Those gold eyes look exactly like his mother's, _thought Shinigami-sama.

"How do I get weapons?" Kid asked.

"Well, you will have to find a weapon that syncs wells with your soul wavelength," said Lord Death, poking Kid's chest with a big, white finger, "a weapon that will be willing to give up their lives for their Meister."

"But what if my weapons are my friends and I don't want them to die? Is it against the rules for me to die for my weapons?"

"Kiddo…" Kid was unable to see the look in his father's eyes, the look of pure shock at how grown up a six year old boy could be. "Son, you are so adult for your age, and I think I am able to tell you everything. Would you like me to tell you?"

"Yes, father. Please do."

"You see…you already know that each Meister must wield a weapon. Too learn their skills, they must take classes, ones which we offer at the DWMA; Death Weapon Meister Academy. Now, for a Meister's weapon to become MY personal weapon, the pair must capture 99 Kishin souls and 1 witch soul BUT if they slip up collecting the witch soul than the 99 Kishin souls are confiscated. Then, they start over."

"A pair?"

Lord Death paused. "What do you mean?"

"You can't have two weapons? So we couldn't be a trio?"

Confusion flooded Shinigami-sama's mask. "Why would you want a trio?" he asked. Kid may have been grown up for his age, but he still had his moments.

"Because, father," he said, brushing dust off his slacks as he stood from the couch. "It would be slightly awkward if you carried only one weapon in your hand. You wouldn't have balance."

"Balance?"

"Yes. Symmetry would be off."

And thus, the birth of a problem began its journey, tearing holes through Kid's life.

The first signs began when he was just a baby; every time he played with a toy, he would crawl with chubby baby legs across the black and white themed nursery to the toy box. Shakily lifting the lid, he would drop the toy back in. Not many eight month old babies cleaned up after themselves.

Again, when he was five, he went to a local daycare when no one else could watch him. This daycare was extremely prestigious and the kids dressed nicely, but; they were kids and would still leave messes.

Kid would never play with the other children; instead he would follow a couple and pick up the messy trails of puzzle pieces and legos to place neatly in their proper spot.

And now that he was six, a year later, he became very sophisticated for his age and learned the works of the DWMA.

The frequency of his father's time leaving increased more and more, sometimes gone for up to several weeks at one time. Feeling the isolation seep in to his son, Lord Death took him to groups for other children to meet and make friends. After eight year old Kid was dropped off, he would sit in a chair in the corner and stare.

There were children his age and younger throwing colorful plastic balls, wheeling little shopping carts full of wax groceries, surrounding picnic tables to scribble paper with crayons, and random toys covering the floors.

It was a _mess._

He observed the drawings the other children made, usually just circles with dotted eyes, stick legs, L noses, and puffy lips. No detail in sight.

Kid stood up and grabbed his chair, the metal legs screeching loudly as he pulled it along the tile floor. The whole room went silent as he dragged it to the picnic table, wiped the dust off his pants, and sat down again.

The noise continued.

He scanned the table for a sharpened pencil. Most were broken, so he picked up a rather dull one and then reached for a sheet of paper.

The pencil's graphite tip ran along the paper smoothly, a thick gray line forming a concave curve. He shaded around it, creating the texture of tree bark. The pencil went upward to make more simple lines, the tree limbs. He could smell crayon wax around him, the rocking of little wooden horses and kids yelling across the room. With a final stroke, he scraggled _Death the Kid_ on the bottom of the paper and slid it across the middle of the table. The children at the table all dropped their crayons and pencils to peer at his paper.

"Whoa!"

"That's good!"

"It looks exactly like a real tree!"

"No way!"

Kid grabbed the seat of his chair to pull it back to the corner when he was stopped by a three boys. One had shaggy blonde hair, his blue eyes piercing into Kid's soul. His skin was the color of bamboo, a slight tan complexion. The one on the right had curly black hair and dark skin, exceeding Kid's height but at least six inches. The left had a brown buzz cut, his brows pinched together and his lips curled into a little snarl.

"Are you shinigami-sama's boy?" the blonde asked, spit flying from his lips.

"Yes," replied Kid, wiping the other boy's saliva from his own cheek.

"You're a show-off," he spat.

Kid's shoulders sunk. "I'm a little confused. All I did was draw a picture."

"Yeah, _show-off."_

The boy with dark skin piped up. "And what's up with your hair? Those dumb stripes!"

Kid's hands crawled to his black hair and ran his hands along the stripes.

_What's wrong with them?_

"They're Sanzu lines. They mean that one day they will go all around my head and I take my father's place and be Lord Death the Kid."

Cruel laughter filled Kid's ears. "That's so stupid! Why are you wearing so much black! Are you Goth? Are you emo?"

Emo? Kid had never heard the word before, neither had other kids around him.

"What's emo?" Kid asked.

"Just…refer to yourself as emo from now on. You wear black and you are pale." The blonde grabbed Kid's wrist and pulled up his sleeve.

"Did the scars heal?"

Kid glanced at his wrist. Just alabaster skin.

"What scars?"

"You know…emos cut themselves, right?"

Kid gasped. "I don't cut myself!"

The curly-haired boy grabbed Kid's other wrist and rolled up the sleeve. A tiny scratch was etched to the skin right next his major blood vessel.

"This one has a scratch!" he explained, making the other two boys look. Sure enough, it was there.

"So you do cut?"

"No!" Kid yelled. "That's a paper cut! I _promise!_" he sobbed.

"Say," began the boy with the buzz cut, "I know you like being organized and perfect, right? Do you like symmetry?"

Kid nodded.

"This cut makes your symmetry off."

Kid glared at the cut. It suddenly disgusted him.

"Same with your stripes."

"Enough!" Kid yelled, a small tear rolled from his cheek.

"Why are you crying?" asked the blonde. "We just said some stuff you should fix. That's all."

"How?"

The boys snorted and walked away, leaving Kid crumpled on the floor in despair.

Kid sat on his bed and stared at his wrists. _That…little…scratch…_

It was midnight, the only light in his room from the blue moonlight painting his room and a little nightlight glowing next to him. The maids and butlers were asleep and his father was still at the DWMA.

_Is it true what they said? Well, they are right. I'm no longer symmetrical, therefore, I'm imperfect. I am a shame. I MUST fix this!_

Kid crawled out from under his covers and snuck to the bathroom, shutting the door and locking it.

C_lick._

He flicked the lights on, illuminating the sink in front of him. He stared into the mirror at his reflection.

His imperfect reflection.

Flawed.

_Disgusting._

He dug around in the drawers underneath until he found a few razors. He stood up and rolled his sleeves to his forearms, revealing his pale flesh. One little red cut still there on his right arm.

Kid grabbed a ruler of the counter and placed his wrists next to each other, sliding the ruler on top. He measured how far the cut was and were he would create a matching one on the other side.

3 inches down from his hand.

He aligned the razor to his skin, took a deep breath, and ripped a quick line across.

He gasped from the initial shock and grabbed several tissues to dab the blood away. When he threw the towels in a nearby trashcan, he looked back down to see that there was more blood, as if he never wiped it away. Kid frantically grabbed a few more tissues and pressed it on the small wound. Blood soaked into the thin cotton, until it began dripping down the corners.

This process repeated.

_Why isn't the blood going away?_

After several minutes of frustration, he wrapped a towel around his arm and secured it with safety pins. He went back to bed, staring at the polished ceiling.

_I'm imperfect._

_Everyone hates me._

_I'm unsymmetrical, I'm a fail, and I'm a mess._

_I hate people! I hate them! _

_I'm alone! I have no one! I'll never make friends! Why was I born to hurt so bad?_

He was silent on the outside, but on the inside, he was screaming.

1~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~1

Current Day

The study was quiet, a lamp near him illuminated the room with a flickering orange glow. The dust particles around him were clearly visible in the light streams, the smell of mothballs sticking to him from all the books on his desk. A pen was stuck firmly in his hand, his eyes half-lidded from several hours of sitting in this very chair.

He had been there since he woke up; trying to learn everything he could on the history of grim reapers having children with humans.

He knew his mother was human and his father was a grim reaper, but the differences could definitely change Kid as a death god.

He learned so far that he would have a life expectancy of 200 years and that even having the fast healing powers of a reaper, some wounds could kill him.

His research was beginning to become obsessive.

He reached for another pen when a nearby book rubbed his sleeve back.

There was his scar.

The scar he had cut into his own skin as an eight year old boy turned out deeper than the paper cut. As the paper cut healed within days, the cut with the razor had left a scar.

He sighed and drew back into his chair, the memories coming back like sand in an hourglass.

Several nights after he had cut himself for real, the paper cut had vanished. His frustration grew at that point, furious with himself that his arms were no longer symmetrical, but that he had done something he said he wouldn't do.

Every time he got a scratch, he would cut another one symmetrically. A bruise? Bash himself on the opposite side until he got one there too. He tormented himself trying to be perfectly symmetrical, and it tore his heart out.

Kid groaned and rubbed his eyes, his stomach growling with an unbearable hunger, reminding him that he hadn't eaten in three days.

In fact, he barely left this study in three days.

There was a loud rap on the study door.

"Come in," Kid said, waving his hand inward.

The door squeaked open, and the sound of soft socks ran along the floor. Liz appeared around the front of his desk. She was holding a plate with a sandwich and a glass of water. She placed them on top of his papers.

"Liz. I'm not hungry."

Without a word, she walked out and shut the door.

After hearing her socked feet bound down the stairs, he mouthed the words, "_Thank you, Liz."_

He reached a hand toward his glass and pressed the rim to his teeth, licking off the moisture. Then, with a slight dip of the hand, he tilted it downward to pour the cool water into his dry throat. He gulped have the glass and took a look at his sandwich. He wanted just one bite…but he knew that would lead to eating the whole thing.

Slipping his fingers under the wheat bread, he lifted it up, careful not to spill the ham, lettuce, and cheese. The smell made his stomach twist with an aching growl.

_Oh well._

He let his teeth sink in to feel the bread part and the lettuce crunch, a satisfying swallow killing the bears growling in his stomach.

1~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~1

Kid woke up to his papers stuck to his face.

He had fallen asleep on top of his desk. He noticed his empty plate and glass were missing, indicating Liz came in and took them.

The dawn light filled the study, the mahogany wood desks and bookshelves glowing in the rising sun. He looked down at his papers again and watched the words blur together. But still, clear as day; was that scar.

That scar would taunt him for the rest of his life; it seemed. It could take years, or even decades to finally fade.

If only it could take the memories with it.

After the encounter with the boys, Kid spent the rest of childhood behind cold toward others. He was convinced not a soul cared about him. Every time his father said he missed him, Kid believed it was all a lie. When the maids made him lunch, he refused to eat, believing the maids were going to poison him.

He wouldn't believe anything anyone told him, because in his mind, he was nothing. A piece of trash, meant to rot out.

And no one would remember him.

On current day, when Kid was with people, he wouldn't remember such tragic feelings. Just a smile would lie on his lips, until he got home, settled down, changed, and saw his scar.

Sometimes, he wondered if people recognized such pain, if when he walked through downtown Death City, every person could see the emotional scars jagged over his chest. If it looked like was wearing barbed wire around his neck, if he had blood running down his eyes, if there was a stake sticking out of his stomach…can they see that?

Because that's what he felt.

Kid made it through the day, but then came the night. At around 11 o' clock, when Patti crashed on the couch, Kid stood in the hallway, right outside Liz's door.

_Open it._

He whispered this to himself, knowing that the answer to his existence rested on the other side of this door. This would be the final tally; debating if one person cared.

He curled his icy fingers around the door handle, static adrenaline surging through his veins. But on top of that was fear. What would he ask?

_Open it._

_Open it._

_Open it._

_WAIT A SECOND!_

Before he could stop himself, he barged through the door and stood in front of Liz's bed, causing her to jolt upward and get up on her knees. When she saw who it was, she sunk back down into her blanket. "Kid…" she gasped, "you scared me."

"Do you love me?"

Liz blue eyes softened, but her lungs had gone into overdrive.

"Do I mean anything to you?" he choked.

"Kid? What's wrong with you?" she asked, crawling out from her bed and advancing toward him. He tried to keep himself stable, but he broke, his knees giving way. He fell forward and covered his eyes, embarrassed and ashamed.

"Don't act like you care Liz. I need to know if you care about me. I need to know if you love me at all. If I mean anything to you. Am I perfect in your eyes? Or am I just a regular person…and if I am worse…" he licked his lips, removing his hands but not daring to look up at Liz's face, "I need to know if there is something worth living for."

Liz bit her lip, her blue eyes shimmering with fresh tears. "Kid…" she choked. She knelt down in front of him. He glanced down at her, the tears on her cheek melting him down. "I caused this tear," he whispered, wiping it away, "please don't cry. Don't cry for me, Liz."

She lunged for him, wrapping her slim arms around his neck and placing her knees on top of his hips. She rubbed her soft legs on his, their skin mingling like woven silk. "Stay, Kid…" she sobbed. "You mean everything. Don't doubt yourself for a second."

He shook his head. "How can I mean something?"

"Being Kid is all you can be," she said, rubbing his cheeks with her wrists to wipe away the tears. He touched her hand, pressing it to his face. His other arm snaked around her waist, holding her up to his chest. "I needed this so bad…" he whispered, his breath tingling Liz's lips. His eyes fluttered shut as his nose rubbed her cheek. "I needed to know that I have you."

"You do," she said, kissing his temple, "I'm yours."

"How much do you love me?" Kid asked, slipping his fingers in between hers.

Liz blushed, warmth spread to her face. "If only my heart could fit around the world…"

Kid smiled. "In ache for attention turned into a love confession…I love it."

Liz giggled just before Kid leaned in for a kiss. "Me too."

_I was rigid. _

_I was cold._

_I tried to place trust…but it broke._

_I was persistent._

_I had to overcome something…_

_And I'm still hurting._

'Behind everyone, there is a veil. A veil may be thick or thin, depending on the person. You have to find the right person to break through it. Everyone has something dark, some deep secret no one else knows. Something about everyone is slightly haunting, and each scar…emotional, or one that is visible on your skin, can never be erased completely.

But I can try.

I can try to slowly overcome the past I have. I can't change who I was. I can't go back and warn myself. I can only learn from my mistakes and change who I am, and who I will be.

I don't know a single perfect person.

I don't know one being that doesn't have a flaw.

I can't think of anything that doesn't have a dark spot on a patch of light.

It isn't always on the surface…you just have to know where to look.

They might not be obvious…so you have to start digging.

As obnoxious as Blackstar is, he is dwelling on personal insights.

As quiet and sweet Tsubaki is, she is confused and sensitive. She is forgetting her own needs.

As strong Maka seems, she is trying to overcome fear and is finding a need for approval.

As 'cool' Soul is, he is accepting less than what he can do and avoiding situations.

As bright Patti is, her curiosity brings distractions.

And the smile on Crona's face doesn't show the fact that he is afraid of his past.

Liz may seem brave and beautiful…but her secrecy is isolating her.

And I may seem like I'm absolutely fine…but I still need _perfection._'

**A/N: I sat in this very spot for exactly 10 hours straight writing this. I never got up to eat, or go to the bathroom. I just sat here and wrote 4125 words for you. My longest one yet! R&R people :)**


	3. Chapter 2: Amethyst

Chapter Two: Amethyst

Black Star

_Rebellious, independent, entertaining, erratic, dwells on personal insights, know-it-all attitude_

He always was a rebel.

He always was tough.

His birth was quick and easy; a surprise compared to the other assassins. It was believed that a painful, treacherous birth symbolized a strong future warrior. In most cases, the mother would die.

Black Star's mother felt absolutely nothing.

He was considered a runt, a failure of the clan.

But Black Star was strong.

He didn't cry when his father, White Star, branded the symbolic five-pointed golden star on his upper arm, signaling his origin. He didn't even wince.

He was only 3 months old when he was taken away from them as the entire Star Clan was slaughtered.

Of course, he currently doesn't remember.

But he knew, of course, what happened. The DWMA staff spared his life and brought him into their large family.

Black Star stayed with them his whole life until he was 10 years old; when he met Tsubaki.

****0****

He tugged at the seams on his gloves until they covered his wrists to make sure they didn't fall off. He took a deep breath as he climbed onto the roof of the DWMA, standing before one of the big red spikes protruding from building.

_My despair will fade to dignity, poison falling onto the path of courage. The boy that presumed me to be was nothing more than a façade, a figment of their pitiful imaginations._

Several deep breaths filled his lungs with an overwhelming, cooling wind. His heartbeat was rapid; out of beat and bouncing all over his spinning mind.

He stepped forward onto the large spike, careful not to slip and fall onto the cobblestone entryway below him. A few more steps and he was finally standing at the end of the large spike, its pinhead point gesturing to the dying sunset.

And when a few faces turned up to look at him, he inhaled a huge breath before letting out a long cry.

"YAHOO! IT'S THE MIGHTY BLACK STAR!" The entire courtyard below craned their necks to look straight up. Black Star glared down at them, smiling as he had gained their attention.

"I AM THE GOD BLACK STAR, HERE TO SAVE YOU ALL! EVERYONE LOOK AT ME AND TREMBLE IN MY GLORY!"

The faces were blank, staring incredulously at the strange boy atop the school.

_What the hell was wrong with that boy?_

They slowly began to clear out; dispersing to show their vivid disinterest.

Black Star's shoulders sunk in disappointment as he watched them walk away, like he never said anything.

"Wait, guys," he said, desperation growing to grasp their attention.

"Shut up," yelled one boy, waving a hand behind him as if to shoo a fly. "You have no talent, and your annoying."

Fire surged through Black Star's blood. "I do too have talent! I'll prove it! I'll be the greatest assassin you have ever seen! I'll defeat all the Kishins and the future Kishins!"

"Keep dreaming, kid!"

"I'll show you!" he yelled.

Silence.

Clap. Clap. Clap.

Black Star peered down onto the courtyard once again to see a young girl much his age, a ponytail flowing down her back in silky black tresses. Her hands were bandaged with practice tape, echoing her claps through the barren stone entrance. She wore a beige kimono, a big slit up the side to leave her legs air. And the smile on her face brought a graceful aura to such a black atmosphere.

And from this day forward, he knew Tsubaki was his future partner. She stayed when no one else even tried to listen to him. Despite his foolishness, she understood.

That alone was enough for him.

-Present Day-

His loud and erratic tendencies were a huge turn-off for many people; usually driving them away. They avoided that one 'troublesome, know-it-all boy that had no respect.'

Too some he was entertaining. He was independent, rebellious, and slightly mysterious. They knew he had something to hide, and it was the mission of many to find out the past of the seemingly fearless assassin.

But to more than not, he was cocky. He was WAY too cocky for most. His confidence went into overdrive and turned him into something twisted and arrogant. The one person who dug deeper into his soul was his weapon partner Tsubaki.

Tsubaki herself was too beautiful for words, inside and out. Her alabaster skin glowed in the desert sun, indigo eyes majestic like they were straight from the rainbow itself.

But her heart dazzled like no other.

It seemed even the most tolerant would deny Black Star as a Meister. He was too rambunctious, too ignorant, and out of control. It was almost a dangerous death wish to even consider.

It was like trying to tame a jaguar from hell.

But Tsubaki managed to wrangle in the beast with a twitch of a finger. She wasn't the slightest bit intimidating, but her smooth aura was inescapable.

Black Star still needed to be liberated.

***0***

The crickets chirped through the cracked window, a summer gust drafting dust into the living room. Black Star pushed himself from the floor and ran to the source of the wind; peeking his head out through the threshold.

Night had just begun; a sliver of scarlet light on the desert horizon. A twilight glow was visible just beyond the garden. Black Star slid from the window onto the soft grass. Its golden-tipped hue shimmered from the dewdrops' reflection. He took another step further into the garden under a canopy of cherry blossom trees. Their velvet petals drifted in the warm breeze; the sweet, cloying draft of blooming cheery buds enveloping him. Big, dense shrubs lined a cobblestone pathway to a clear stream.

The stream was clear enough to see the polished stones and silvery fish slide their yellow bellies along the muddy riverbed. Dawn had definitely set in at this point; the moon's reflection bright and big in the wavering water. A rickety old bridge coated in moss led the way from one side to the other. On the other side of the stream was a big, weeping willow tree.

The branches bent down with green, leafy tendrils brushing the grass below. It trapped the pale blue of the moon to light the baldachin it created.

Black Star sighed took a step on the bridge, the boards' creaks echoing through the vast garden.

When he reached the grass, he slid under the willow's crying branches and leaned against its rough bark. The smell of pond water overlapped a strong wrap of sakura trees. He reached through the green tendrils of the willow and pressed a palm to the sweet-smelling grass. Each blade had a droplet of dew wavering on the tip, clinging on as hard as Black Star held on to his sanity.

He watched the dew begin to slide; its grasp loosening as it clambered closer and closer to being forever lost in the soil.

His life was embedded in this small glimpse of nature.

He was slowly slipping to the brink of being forever lost in a path of being hidden, where not a soul can see him.

He didn't want to be an outcast.

He wanted to be a rebel.

Black Star ambled to the base of the tree, pressing his back to the bark, and slid down.

He sighed, just audible enough to here if you listened to him.

And not many people did.

This slowly began to set on him; more and more insults permeating through his head. As fast as they came on, his confidence depleted.

The ethical tradition of being repugnant, ornery, and detestable faded when he was isolated at this very willow. Because he battered himself just as bad as everyone else did to him.

_I'm abhorrent. I'm unpleasant. I'm abominable. I'm sickening. I'm annoying. Awful. Detestable. Rotten. Revolting. Disgusting. Reprehensible. Invidious. I'm obnoxious, loathsome, odious, pestiferous, I'm everything everyone HATES._

_But why can't I change? Why can't I just be the complete opposite? Why aren't I pleasant, likeable, nice? _

_Is it wrong to be me?_

_All I want is to feel wanted._

A tear slipped from his eye after a deep blink; making him grunt and wipe his face vigorously.

_NO! I'm not crying! Black Star! Stop it right now! _

Before he could stop himself, he had completely let go, sobbing out every tear he could produce in his body.

_This is how weak you are, Black Star. Stop shaking. Stop whining. _

_I need to get stronger and tougher, because I'm not settling for this. _

He wasn't the openly focused. He wasn't obedient. He wasn't calm.

He was determined. He was full of courage and very intrepid. Many thought his bravery was a case of potvaliancy; being a dipsomaniac and an underage alcoholic was the case of such foolishness.

In reality, it was his past that drove him to such an extent.

***0***

His pen rapped repeatedly on the desk; the repercussion permeating the classroom with an echo.

_Tap. Tap. Tap._

He scanned the upper rows of Class Cresent Moon; every seat filled.

The second row down; right side consisted of Soul, his face jammed in his hand as his eyelids began to droop in boredom. His Meister Maka elbowed him in the ribs; an attempt to keep him awake before Dr. Stein would see him.

Too late.

He stopped rapping his pencil on the desk and whipped it across the room, flying past Ox and Kilik's heads to hit Soul square in the face.

He jerked from his half-slumber, eyes blinking fiercely as his head snapped upward in trepidation. He jolted back violently, banging his head on the seats behind him.

"There will be no sleeping in my class, Soul," said Stein, rubbing his cigarette into the nearby ashtray, "I don't know how many more talks this will take."

"Mm-hm," Soul grunted.

Stein sighed and continued to scan the rows. Patti was seated next to Maka, Death the Kid next to her, Liz on his left…but where was Tsubaki and Blackstar?

Dr. Stein blew out a husky puff of smoke, then swatted it away with his hand. "Would anyone happen to know where the assassin and his dark arm went?"

_"errAAHHH!"_

The entire class froze then snapped their heads around to the enormous double-paned windows behind them. The sunlight glared through the glass and made quite a perfect view of Black Star jumping wildly, swinging Tsubaki around like nunchucks.

"He's fighting someone outside!" a boy shouted.

The class rose from their seats and gathered to the windows.

"Who is that boy?" Maka asked Soul. Soul squinted. All he could see was Black Star bounding around the courtyard.

"Who?" asked Soul.

"Him!" Maka shoved her finger into the class to point out a tall boy wearing a black bodysuit. His black, spiked hair was outlined in purple strands; the same shade as his goggles.

"Who the hell is that?"

"Whoa! Where did HE come from?"

The boy held out his arm, and a twirling purple dust danced around his fingers, creating a thick cloud. It traveled up to his forearm all the way to his shoulder, until it froze into a cold, dense metal. His fingertips zapped loudly with small, sharp bolts of purple lightning enough to make everyone at the windows jump.

"Do you think you can really fight me with that thing?" asked Black Star, his voice thick with amusement. "I'd love to see you try."

The boy just chuckled and shoved his arm forward, lightning pushing through his palms. Black Star crouched down, his bones cracking as he propelled himself up in the air to avoid the attack.

The cobblestone where he stood before absorbed the shock.

_Tzzz…tztz….tz!_

The stone's surface started to become molten, liquid rock bubbling like lava.

Black Star tried to swing at the boy, but he was too slow…

The boy grabbed his scythe and threw him to the ground.

"You aren't going to beat me!" yelled Black Star.

The boy knelt down next to Black Star and held up his hand, little lightning bolts traveling along his fingers. He lifted up his right foot, spikes shooting from his shoe like cleats. Slowly, he pressed his foot onto Black Star's calf.

He let out the most blood-curdling, durated scream.

"AHHHahahahahaAhhhahahAHH!"

"BLACK STAR!" Tsubaki yelped. "Stop! This is going too far!"

The boy laughed. "I'm here for _pain."_

Black Star moaned as the pain lingered.

"You know, this lightning stuff doesn't really affect the Meister very much…" the boy said. "It's the weapon."

Black Star snapped upward as the boy slammed his hand into Tsubaki's blade, electrifying currents traveling through to her body.

"TSUBAKI!" came the cry of Black Star and the students gathered at the window, as she went back into human form, her blood filling the gaps between the cobblestone.

Soul ran from the window. "Dr. Stein! You have to interfere! Tsubaki is going to die!"

Stein took off his lab coat and transformed his arm into the blade of a scythe, but not before two gunshots were heard from outside.

The students turned back to the window to see Kid aiming Liz and Patti at the unconscious boy. The girls transformed back into human forms to gather around Tsubaki, curled in a ball that ceased to breathe.

"Tsubaki…" Liz wailed.

Black Star stared down at Tsubaki and brushed her arm. She was beginning to be cold…

Stein and Spirit appeared with a blanket and some gauze. They lifted her up, careful to not stir her to much to cause more bleeding. As she was taken away, Kid stared down at Black Star.

"How foolish of you, Black Star," said Kid, "it was your dumb move that almost killed your weapon."

Black Star stood up to face him. "It was just a duel but someone ended up getting hurt! I don't know what else to say!"

"Why couldn't you just protect your weapon like you were supposed to!?" Kid sneered between gritted teeth. "You see Liz and Patti? I guard them with my life like a responsible Meister! You are too selfish and arrogant to see that!"

"Shut UP!" Black Star shouted.

Liz and Patti's faces went pale.

"You don't know me, Kid! You don't know what happens in my head! You don't know my past! And that…that hurt! I already know Tsubaki getting hurt was because of my selfishness! You are the one with Mr. Perfect Past that you don't understand!"

Kid was clearly amused. "Perfect past? Really? Do you honestly think my past was perfect?"

"What other way could you have it? You already manipulate everything to fit YOUR needs."

Black Star gestured to Liz. "How can she put up with a basterd like you? Do you command her to do things 'symmetrical' all the time? Because of YOUR selfishness, she can't have a normal relationship! What do you make her do? Cook for you…clean for you…do you punish her if it isn't perfect? What about sex life, huh? Are you always in control?"

"That's. Enough." Kid growled. "Not a word more."

"Is it true?" he turned to Liz, "Is it true?"

"I…." Liz began, "I just…he doesn't punish me…but he is slightly in control…"

"Am I really, Liz?" Kid asked. "I am not!"

"Yes you are. You aren't a complete control nut, but you still expect perfection from me."

"You see, Kid? You're selfish too." Black Star said, walking away slowly.

"At least I didn't almost kill my weapon." Kid murmured.

"Just STOP!"

Black Star stormed into the school, letting a tear slip.

Kid turned back to his weapons. "Way to be an ass, Kid," said Patti, getting up to run and follow him.

Kid sighed as he sat with Liz. "Am I really a control freak?"

"A-a little."

"Am I an ass?"

"Just then?"

"Mm."

"Y-yeah…"

Kid crawled over to Liz and kissed her nose. "I'll try harder to not be such a control freak. Tonight, we do what YOU want, okay?"

Liz found the smile on his face absolutely sexy, and she giggled. "It involves a few more of those kisses…" she whispered.

Giggles.

The couple looked up to see Class Cresent Moon still watching through the window.

***0***

Big white door.

Patient: Tsubaki

Black Star sighed, his breath fogging the door handle with a thin layer of moisture. His knees shook with a nervous ache, the anticipation of seeing his partner growing every second.

But he didn't want to see her.

He didn't want to see hollow eyes, pale skin, anguish embedded in her chest. He didn't want to see the product he caused, because this was _all _because of him.

He wanted to be brave and show his worth, but nearly killed Tsubaki in the process. Kid was right; he was foolish and childish. He let his personal insights get in the way and he had to pay the price.

And if Tsubaki hated him, he would have to except that.

If only Tsubaki could give him another chance, if she could forgive him for being _so stupid!_

His own words permeated through his soul like acid, singeing what hope he had left.

_But I'm going to be brave one last time, so I am going in._

The door creaked as Black Star stepped inside the infirmary, making Tsubaki roll over to face the sound. Her indigo eyes lit up at the sight of her Meister.

"Black Star?"

"Hey, Tsubaki," Black Star stepped sheepishly toward the bed she laid in.

"How have you been?" asked Tsubaki.

"Fine…" Black Star choked as he pulled up a stool and sat next to her. Tsubaki sat up quickly. Immediantly, she groaned and flung her hand onto her stomach, coaxing herself back into the pillows.

Black Star shoved his face in his hands.

_Don't do it…don't do it…_

He began to cry.

The mighty god Black Star, the gallant, audacious assassin. Crying.

He had to stay strong!

Tsubaki was watching!

A warm hand slid around his wrist, sending a familiar, calming shock through his body. "It's alright, Black Star. You can break sometimes," Tsubaki whispered, rubbing her thumb into the soft skin of his hand, "I believe you are the one who taught me that." And he did, he remembered nights of hearing her cry as he sat outside her door, desperately trying to resonate with her. He would fight with himself, wondering w_hy _he didn't have the strength to tell her he could hear her vitriolic, acerbic tears burn like acid, that he could read her plastic smile, and that her silence indeed w_as_ deadly, fatal. He knew her pain, he traded his own comfort so she could be complacent, even if it would be temporary. The care he had for her seared like fire through his body, amplifying his heart with the beat of a drum. He could feel her in his veins; she struck him down with lightning and he took every ounce of her encumbrance and burdens that he could so she could be free from obstruction.

And now, everything was flipped; Black Star no longer had to hold Tsubaki and catch her tears, because she now is returning the benevolence, amity, for him.

Black Star sniffled, wiping his stray tears and reached forward; he wrapped his arms around Tsubaki's frail body and held her close to him. "I'm sorry!"

Tsubaki bit her lip and slipped her arms under his, pressing him closer.

And she cried too.

_I was arrogant._

_I was cold._

_I tried to be strong._

_I was rebellious._

_I had to overcome something…_

_And I'm still hurting._

'Behind everyone, there is a veil. A veil may be thick or thin, depending on the person. You have to find the right person to break through it. Everyone has something dark, some deep secret no one else knows. Something about everyone is slightly haunting, and each scar…emotional, or one that is visible on your skin, can never be erased completely.

But I can try.

I can try to slowly overcome the past I have. I can't change who I was. I can't go back and warn myself. I can only learn from my mistakes and change who I am, and who I will be.

I don't know a single perfect person.

I don't know one being that doesn't have a flaw.

I can't think of anything that doesn't have a dark spot on a patch of light.

It isn't always on the surface…you just have to know where to look.

They might not be obvious…so you have to start digging.

As quiet and sweet Tsubaki is, she is confused and sensitive. She is forgetting her own needs.

As strong Maka seems, she is trying to overcome fear and is finding a need for approval.

As 'cool' Soul is, he is accepting less than what he can do and avoiding situations.

As bright Patti is, her curiosity brings distractions.

And the smile on Crona's face doesn't show the fact that he is afraid of his past.

Liz may seem brave and beautiful…but her secrecy is isolating her.

Kid may seem like your average freak, but his drive for perfection is killing him.

And I think I have found my saving grace.

**A/N: FINALLY. AHHH! This took a month. So much brain storming and editing went into this. R&R and enjoy :)**


	4. Chapter 3: Aquamarine

**A/N: Aw, man! So basically, I promised myself over and over that each chapter in this story will be at least 4000 words and I have to finish the chapter by the end of the next month. **

**FOR INSTANCE: Chapter 2 was started at the end of October, but I wanted to finish it by the end of November (I finished November 29****th****) For Chapter 3 (this one) I wanted to finish by Dec 31.**

**Mind you, it took me approximately 35 days to finish Chapter 2. I have 8 days to finish Tsubaki's and I haven't even started and I don't have any ideas! AHH!**

**_I want to thank Tyler (iphophobia) for helping me with the angst parts in this chapter. If you could read his fanfics, that would be really cool! (_**_** u/4283627/iphophobia#) **_

**_:) Follow me on Instagram: famepapertrail J_**

**_ALSOOOO! I get asked VERY often if I listen to music while I write. YES ! I DO!_**

**_Here are the songs I listened to as I wrote this:_**

**_My Life For Hire by A Day To Remember, Bewitched by Blood On The Dance Floor, Daydream Away by All Time Low, Wish We Were Older by Metro Station, Richman by 3oh!3, Young Forever by The Ready Set_**

**_Okay, here you go:_**

Precious, glossy petals coated with thick dew were scattered along the courtyard, a placid, imperturbable aura conveying from the camellia blossom's swaying scent. She sat in the center of them, their drifting innocence nothing but a sweet façade. The appealing display was hiding something.

The twirling spirals that the silky foliage made was carefully trying to obscure a secret, trying to veil a mystery like an eclipse. The camellias were not presenting pleasing tidings, in fact, they only escorted accursed memories.

Hell-born flashbacks came on in a snap. The outer appearance of the camellias only pulled in nefarious retrospections; remembrance and retentions of times before.

Tsubaki was the camellia blossom.

She was the beautiful, graceful bud, notorious in honesty and loyalty. Her lustrous hair was dark like a parcel of obsidian, her skin alabaster as if it were lackluster ivory. She was agile and charming, her attitude was tenacious, and she was known to be very alluring, enchanting and inviting.

However, underneath the impeccable delicacy she was made out to be, she was in fact seized and rived like a wolf's casualty. Her habitual mental outlook was all a false semblance to hide the hell-bent misery she went through.

Plummeting into despondency was something to manage as a solo, because elevating her cover would be to unnerving to do.

Now, the harmonic whistle of the wind was a naturalistic aria, a descant of felicity to the naïve ear. Tsubaki was the one to look deeper, to speculate the perceptible rhythm. The piece the wind actually plays, the one underneath the obvious and genuine in existence, is a stridulous, harsh grinding of a sound.

For instance, a new trumpet belts out clear and boisterous, its brass banging with the rest of the band confident and strong.

That's who Tsubaki used to be.

Now she's tarnished, her melody now sounds like a lament…

She lifts her head, staring at the camellia petals spiraling with the lifting breeze.

_I feel you blossoms. Just keep faking your happiness, and I'll fake mine._

*0*0*0*0*0*0*0*0*0*0*0

_Dec 27__th_

_11:58 am_

_It's hard to try and hide this. I'm hovering over my notebook, trying to shield it from Black Star who is sitting next to me._

_I'm in Class Crescent Moon, and I thought I'd take a few minutes to write in my notebook._

_After recovering from the accident in the duel against the purple-haired boy who has lightning as a weapon, all of us, including Maka, Soul, Kid, Liz, and Patti, were assigned a mission. The past few days have been frequent training to get me back on track._

_I hope that –_

"What do you have, Tsubaki?" Black Star said as he reached over Tsubaki's arm to grab her notebook. The pen touching the paper created a thick ink line of ink blots along the page, smearing onto her writing.

"Black Star!" Tsuabaki said in dismay, taking her notebook back. "Why do you have to be so careless?"

Black Star frowned. "I'm sorry. Why won't you let me see? Is it personal?" he continued, "is it about me?"

"No," Tsubaki scowled, shutting her notebook despite the smudges of ink that would most likely soil the pages near her most recent one, "it was notes on today's work."

"Then why were you covering it?" Black Star was beginning to become nervy and hubristic. The self-assured smirk was apparent.

Tsubaki frowned and scooped up her books and stood up.

"Tsubaki, where are you going?" Soul asked as she scooted behind his chair.

"I need air," she mumbled as she trotted down the stairs and out the door.

"Class hasn't ended yet!" Sid called, right as the door shut, the echo sharp. The after silence was just as capricious as Tsubaki's new behavior.

Liz leaned back in her chair. "Black Star," she hissed, "what did you say to her?"

Black Star spun around to face her. "I didn't say anything! She's probably just wound up about something."

Kid sighed. "Watch your mouth Black Star. She most likely hates you now."

Black Star pursed his lips together and stood up quickly, slamming his chair into the seats behind him.

The entire class jumped, the silence previous cleaved by the acrid sound of metal to wood.

"SHUT UP!"

Kid's eyebrows rose; he was not even close to be intimidated by him.

"It isn't my fault every time Tsubaki gets hurt!"

Kid sighed. "Stop making a bigger fool of yourself than you already have," he gestured to the rest of the class, "they find this humorous. Just be quiet and sit down."

Black Star looked around.

Every eye on the class room looked fixedly upon him, their gawking boring right through him. They shrunk him, they made him feel _small._

Black Star didn't like feeling small.

He tore down the stairs and burst out the door, ripping it from the hinges.

Another fathomless, immersed laconism covered the room like a plague. It was as of every bit of air turned into iron.

The sullenness was so deep that the meek voice of Spirit piping up seemed like a blow horn.

"We're going to take a break," he maundered, burrowing a pencil into a nearby drawer, "everyone can go outside for a while."

0*0*0*0*0*0*0

The following mission was going to be far more jeopardous, perilous pursuit than a frequently occurring assignment. Yes, it was less dangerous than the battle against Asura, but nonetheless it was still a tricky.

Another kishin had come about, and this one was far more threatening than a normal one. It was very destructive, very clever, and had the reputation of terrorist.

Liz, Patti, Soul, and Tsubaki were in their weapon forms in the hands of their Meisters; Liz and Patti hanging low in Kid's palms, Tsubaki held at guard, and the tip of Soul's staff sitting in the dirt so he stood upward.

They were at the face of a cave, charcoal black rock stuck together in clusters to form it. The cave was at the edge of a cliff over-looking a furious, headstrong river at the bottom of a deep, trench-like canyon. The water was choppy and created rapids of foam splashing sharp, jagged rocks. If you fell in, you most likely wouldn't make it out without drowning or being cut to ribbons on the shorelines.

"When are we going in?!" yelled Soul, shaking in Maka's hand so his pole rippled.

"Now," said Kid, eyeing the cave to pick up any movement, "but stay quiet and cautious."

The first step into the cave was dark, except for the small lights from the walls. Rustic lamps hung on thin hooks. Their flame was weak; a wick flickered with a small orange burn. Green stalactites hung from the ceiling, dripping liquid limestone into small acidic pools.

Each step was wet and slick, every breath in echo.

Within every 15 feet, the cave dropped a degree in temperature.

"Damn," said Maka, rubbing her shins together, "my legs are freezing."

"You wore a mini skirt," said Black Star.

"You are wearing shorts and a shirt with no sleeves!"

"But I'm not cold!"

"Shut up!" Kid hissed, "keep walking."

Suddenly, a low, agitated growl filled the cave chamber followed by a sharp _ssskkkkk_. It started shaking rocks from the ceiling, moldering into pieces of ebony pebbles.

"What was that?" cried Liz.

"Calm down, Liz. You can handle it," Kid whispered to her, stroking her barrel with his thumb. A mechanical giggle came from her as Kid could feel the pistol turning warm.

Black Star elbowed Kid in the ribs. "With all your flirting, you two are going to be eaten by the Kishin first."

"Hush, Black Star."

Not a second later, another snarl was heard, rippling and rumbling like thunder.

"Kiiiidd!" Liz shrieked.

"It's okay Liz!" assured Tsubaki. "You're alright!"

"Everyone just needs to calm down," yelled Soul, the tone in his voice a mixture of agitation and consolation, "we are all just wound up with fear."

"You're right," sighed Liz, "we are all just freaked out."

"GUYS!" came Patti's startling scream, just as a metallic-like claw sprang from the darkness and punched through the wall of the cave, creating a large tunnel that opened up on the cliff side. The silence and cold was traded with warm daylight and the rushing sound of such a dangerously powerful river.

Liz was shaking violently in Kid's hand.

Maka geared Soul back, ready to slice whatever came out another time.

An exasperating stillness evaporated quickly as two more claws appeared, one grabbing Kid and another pinning Maka to the opposite cavern wall.

The claws were quite immense; they could easily wrap its metal, clicking fingers around Kid's slender figure like a cage.

Black Star stood in the center of the two claws, jumping up to slash the claw's arm holding Kid captive. A rush of relief surged through his body as he thought he felt the arm split.

Instead, Tsubaki's blade barely left lacerations.

The elbow of the Kishin popped outward, shooting Black Star at the hole in the wall created previous. He attempted to shove his sword into the dirt as he rolled helplessly toward the cliff side. Finally he stabbed his leg out and wrapped it around a root in the tunnel. The force of his stop made him release Tsubaki.

"Black Star!" she screamed, turning into human form just as she tumbled off the edge. Black Star snapped forward and grabbed her hand, stopped her from falling the two story drop into a ferocious river.

Tsubaki started kicking, trying to climb back into the tunnel. Black Star's entire upper body was hanging over the edge; his ribs crushing into the brim and his legs wrapping around roots to hold the duo up. Sweat began building in his pores as his calf muscles tightened, becoming taut and stiff.

"Black Star! Help!"

_What?!_

Black Star turned his head behind him slowly, straining his neck to peer into the cave.

"BLACK STAR!"

The sound was slightly drowned out by the raging rapids below.

Black Star released some air from his lungs so he could yell back. "HOLD ON!"

He gasped quickly, dying for the bout of air he just let go.

"PLEASE! HELP US!" Maka's miserable plea echoed throughout the tunnel like a sharp cry.

The sweat poured into Black Star's palm, causing Tsuabaki to slowly slip.

Black Star went into desperation mode, every ounce of energy going into his forearm and legs. He placed his opposite hand on the tunnel ceiling for support, balancing his weight out so more strength burst from his abs and chest. His knuckles turned white and the nerves in his temple burned with a white hot scorch. His weapon was hanging by a thread, and her hand within Black Star's clutch began to shake uncontrollably as the two held on for dear life.

"I…I can't pull you up!" Black Star panted, an ache rattling his throat, "You have to hold on!"

Tsubaki tried to nod in acknowledgement, but the strain in her neck halted her movement.

Suddenly, his arm gave out as a spasm of pain made his hand wither into release.

The flame in his soul ignited full blaze as Tsubaki began to plummet down, tucking into a ball to hopefully constrict pain. Black Star felt a cold rush of adrenaline coursed through his veins as he pencil dived out of the tunnel, toward his falling weapon.

He tore through space just to reach her faster, resisted g-forces, and wrapped his arms around her trembling body, just as the two made contact with the icy river.

0*0*0*0*0

Everything next was rough and ruthless.

The first thing Tsubaki remembers was the violent, frozen ache that sunk through her skin and penetrated her lungs like spears.

She gasped involuntarily from the raw, algid water, swallowing a mouthful and retching hard. She felt as if she was drowning in her own lungs, the lining of her stomach becoming twisted with a searing, _searing, _frozen _burn._

It actually _burned._

It rived her throat to sandpaper shreds, her stomach quivering with an urge to vomit from the salty, icy taste.

She wiped her eyes quickly as she was pushed along the river, Black Star's arms holding her above the water.

She noticed he did the swimming for _both_ of them, kicking his legs to keep Tsubaki above the surface.

"Black Star," Tsubaki choked, spilling water from her lips, "stay above the water too."

Wave after wave splashed the two, knocking Black Star under over and over.

"I have to-" he gasped before he was dunked under by another rapid, making Tsubaki bob once. "I have to keep you above the water," he panted, before he was shoved under a current.

"Don't try to save me! Save yourself too!" Tsubaki yelled, panic uprising quickly in her voice. She knew exactly what he meant. He would make sure Tsubaki got to shore, even if he didn't.

"No," he choked, a half-swallow jutting into his words.

"Stop doing this for me!" Tsubaki was in complete hysteria, she was coughing and gagging from the water, and the delirium of her realization was hitching her breaths.

"Tsubaki!" he sputtered, water spewing from his lips as he dragged her under the water to the river bottom.

Tsubaki shook from the cold on her face, the fear building in her chest.

As Black Star hit the bottom of bed, he crouched down and spiked upward like a missile, water rushing past the two as they broke the surface. He threw Tsubaki with his last bit of strength onto a smooth, amber rock just off the canyon edge. It was quite decently sized and dry, not slick with much water.

Tsubaki tried to crawl to the edge, but found her body weak and tense from the freezing temperatures. "Black Star! Climb on!" she screamed, straining her shoulders to hold out a hand to him. Black Star was bobbing under the surface over and over again, each time longer than the one previous.

"Black Star?"

Nothing.

"Black Star?"

All that could be heard was the tranquil sound of what could be a waterfall, if you closed your eyes.

If you weren't freezing, the spray of the rapids would be quite refreshing.

But Tsubaki was frightened, she felt terrorized.

She began to crawl to the edge of the rock and took a deep breath. Just as she was about to jump back in to find Black Star, he popped out of the water, hands flailing to push Tsubaki backwards.

She screeched and flew back onto the rock.

"Stay!" he pleaded. "I'm going climb on!"

Tsubaki lay on her stomach and outstretched a quaking, numb hand for Black Star to grab. "Do you have me?" he asked, placing another hand on the rock.

"Yes."

"One, two, PULL!"

Tsubaki flung another arm up to grab Black Star's forearm and pull, as he kicked his legs furiously in absolute exhaustion. She dug her knees into the rock for balance, her arm sockets aching in exertion.

"Press your feet against rock, Tsubaki," Black Star hissed, "it gives you better traction."

Tsubaki tried to obide, but found herself slipping.

"I can't! I'll fall!" she yelled blindly, eyes blurry with spray.

Black Star felt a tug just beyond the rock. He tensed his abdominals up and held his breath as a surf knocked Tsubaki into the cliff side. She moaned in agony from the impact as she released Black Star. She clutched her arm as the spray burned the large gash down her shoulder.

She squinted through the vapor to see more surges throw Black Star under the rapids, then throwing him back up…

Spearing him into a jagged rock.

Tsubaki's pupils shrunk; her heart contracted and her lungs swelled.

"NO!"

Blood spilled from Black Star's cracked lips, running like magma down his chin. More blood began to soak his shirt, filling each fiber with a sickening, ruby fluid.

Tsubaki sunk to her knees, the sight of her Meister's skin paling grow colder…colder…more and more ghostly…

"HELP!"

Tsubaki felt miserable; her voice was drowned out from the rapids. She felt small…useless…

Her life value decreased with her energy, her hope was fading just as fast as Black Star's life.

Last chance call, and she's done…

"HELP! KID! MAKA! SOMEBODY!"

A loud, brutal growl echoed throughout the canyon. Seconds later, Kid and Maka appeared at the end of the tunnel downstream, as Kid slipped a bright red soul into Liz's magazine.

Tsubaki sprang up and began waving her arms, spasm of pain burning her shoulder blades.

"OVER HERE!"

Kid hopped on Beezlebub and soared over lightning speed.

_Everything is going to be okay._

0*0*0*0*0*0*0

The infirmary was too familiar.

Tsubaki stepped inside the door, the flashbacks of every hospital she has been too racking her brain…

_She remembered the feeling of anguish walking into one the first time, seeing her mother in sickly grey skin. She had hollow eyes and bruises covered her neck and face. Her arm was wrapped in gauze, already frayed and soaked in blood. The gashes that ran through her face were stitched, but not the emotional ones…_

_They unplugged her._

_Then the times Kid was in the infirmary, when Soul was in for black blood overpowerment, when Tsubaki herself was in…_

_This place was her second home. _

_She remembered the horrible, __**horrible**__ feelings of sitting in the waiting rooms, at home, at school, in bed at night before sleep… _

Tsubaki took a step further, absorbing once again the white sheets, floors, walls, ceilings, machinery.

Everything was white.

Everything except for Black Star's blue hair and bloody gauze.

He had opened his sullen eyes, they were blinking. They were also red, an aura of pain surrounding his bed.

But his face lit up when he saw Tsubaki.

"Hey!" he said with a cheery smile, before lulling his head back to the ceiling.

Tsubaki managed a shy turn of the lips, before a tear fell into her lashes, a silvery drop dangling on the edge of her water line.

"I'm so glad your okay!" she cried, sprinting to Black Star and burrowing her head into his shoulder. He was clearly caught off guard from her sudden affection, but he smiled and placed a hand in her hair.

It was down today, her sleek, jet black tresses laying on her back and shoulders.

Her sniffles were muffled into Black Star's neck, her entire body shaking as she tried to suppress more tears.

Black Star slipped another hand under Tsubaki to completely wrap around her back, holding her tighter.

"It's okay. We're both okay," he crooned in her ear, "everything turned out fine, didn't it?"

Tsubaki nodded into the crook of his shoulder.

"I ended up alive, and well…you know why?"

She waited for his answer.

"Because I'm Black Star! Duh! I'm an assassin, I'm a GOD!"

Tsubaki giggled. "Yes, today I think you showed it more than ever."

He released her and let her sit next to him on the cot.

"I'm sorry if I caused you trouble, Black Star," Tsubaki whispered, "I didn't mean too."

Black Star frowned. "What do you mean? I'm a hero, do not forget that! I did what I did because I want too! You are my weapon, and I am your Meister! We are a TEAM!"

Tsubaki bit her lip and stared down at Black Star. He looked strong, even when laying in a cot. She could see how serious he was in his face, something no one else saw in him.

She could see underneath the childish part of Black Star and saw _true _dedication, a _true_ hero. He meant what he said; she did not need to question it.

Black Star pointed to Tsubaki's shoulder. "How is your cut?"

Tsubaki looked down at her arm and peeled back her dress for him to see the large, white bandage. "It's covered."

"Good. That surf could have knocked us out!" He held up a hand, "but we beat it!"

Tsubaki placed her hand on his. "Yep!"

Her giggle was sweet and innocent, lively and sincere. She was beginning to find something else in Black Star, something, maybe stronger than friendship…

She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.

Black Star gazed at her eyes, their violent purple hue such a majestic, balanced glow. Her eye lashes were long and curled, black like her hair.

She was indeed beautiful.

Tsubaki slid off the cot and knelt down next to him instead. "Do you think I could make something to eat and bring it back?"

"That would be AWESOME!" he grinned, shoving a thumbs up to signal an okay.

Tsubaki laughed, before it faded to a smile. "I care about you, you know that?"

"I know. I think today we both showed how much we did. I tried to save you, but you wouldn't let me because of my safety. I liked that. It shows that _no one_ else could be your Meister. And I couldn't have a different weapon."

Tsubaki blushed, her heart fluttering at his comment.

"And over this…this long time of being partners, I've decided something," he mumbled, redness blazing through his cheeks as he stared away from Tsubaki.

"And what's that?"

Cautiously, carefully, he slipped a hand behind the back of Tsubaki's neck.

"What-"

He lowered her down quickly so their lips smashed together, a simple end to a sentence he let out agonizingly slow.

_I've waited forever for this damned kiss._

Everyone has something dark, some deep secret no one else knows. Something about everyone is slightly haunting, and each scar…emotional, or one that is visible on your skin, can never be erased completely.

But she can try.

She can try to slowly overcome the past she has. She can't change who she was. She can't go back and warn herself. She can only learn from her mistakes and change who she is, and who she will be.

She doesn't know a single perfect person.

She doesn't know one being that doesn't have a flaw.

She can't think of anything that doesn't have a dark spot on a patch of light.

It isn't always on the surface…you just have to know where to look.

They might not be obvious…so you have to start digging.

As obnoxious as Blackstar is, he was dwelling on personal insights.

As strong Maka seems, she is trying to overcome fear.

As 'cool' Soul is, he is accepting less than what he can do and avoiding situations.

As bright Patti is, her curiosity brings distractions.

And the smile on Crona's face doesn't show the fact that he is afraid of his past.

Liz may seem brave …but her secrecy is isolating her.

_And I'm doing so much better. _

**FINALLY IM DONE!**

**So….I like reviews…(if you know what I mean ;))**

**READ AND REVIEW PLEASE PLEASE THANKS 3**


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